THE INVISIBLE GUEST (瞒天过海) (2023)

Genre: Drama/Crime
Director: Chen Zhuo
Cast:  Greg Hsu, Ning Chang, Kara Wai, Andrew Yin
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures and Clover Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 14 December 2023

Synopsis: Young and beautiful entrepreneur Joanna is accused of being the culprit in a locked-room murder case, where the victim is her lover Minghao, during a time when her life and career are flourishing. In order to clear her name, she slowly gathers clues with the police officer Zheng Wei. As they investigate the case together, they discover another murder case that Joanna and Minghao had committed together. The truth gradually comes to light...

Movie Review:

In 2016, a Spanish movie about a young businessman who is accused of murder, and has less than three hours to figure out what happened with his hired prestigious lawyer was released. It received lukewarm response in its home country, but surprisingly made a killing in the international market when it was released in China the following year. It is no wonder then, that the green light was given for the Chinese remake of the mystery thriller. It is also notable that the original movie directed by Oriol Paulo has previously been remade in Italy, India and Korea.

Chen Zhuo, who made his mark in the industry when his debut film Song Of Silence was recognised with the Firebird Award for Best Feature in the Young Cinema section of 2012’s Hong Kong International Film Festival, is responsible for translating the original version for the Chinese audiences. Backed by Chinese streamer iQiyi, the movie features a star studded lineup with Taiwan’s Greg Hsu and Ning Chang, Hong Kong’s Kara Wai and China’s Andrew Yin headlining the movie.

The movie opens with the murder of an architect (Yin) in a hotel room. The case has led to complications in the political scene, as the suspect (Chang) is the wife of a wealthy and powerful businessman who controls the finances of the unnamed Southeast Asian country (we are seeing a trend here with other Mainland Chinese productions like the recent Lost In The Stars and Last Suspect) the story is set in.

A greedy police chief (Hsu) shows up at the suspect’s doorsteps and convinces her to tell the truth behind the crime, convincing her that he can prove her innocence if she pays him a huge some of reward. Through the flashbacks, it is revealed that there is another missing person in this complicated case, and his wife (Wai) is desperately trying to locate him.

The movie goes to and fro in an attempt to confuse viewers with its supposedly twisty plot. One moment, the suspect is a vulnerable woman who is forced to witness a terrible crime, and the next moment, she is a scheming femme fatale with what she thought was a perfect plan to get away with murder. Did the architect deserve to die? You first see him depicted as a man with anger management issues, then in another version, he is someone who is suffering from depression and is terribly sorry for causing a family’s loss. Elsewhere, the police chief is also a suspicious character – what does he exactly want with his ever changing deductions of what really happened? And is the grieving woman who lost her husband truly sympathetic?

Throughout the 106 minute runtime, audiences would be thrown around the different narratives. This means that the same scenario would be replayed from different perspectives, and logic will be repeatedly thrown out of the window. You may also be distracted by the competent performances of the four leads. But if you pay close attention, you may just figure out the motives of the various characters early in the film. And with this being a Mainland Chinese production, you can be sure the bad guy will not be able to escape the long arm of the law at the end of the day.

Movie Rating:

(This Chinese remake of a Spanish crime thriller features competent performances and enough twists and turns to keep you in your seat)

Review by John Li